Diamond Hogs add nation’s top juco hitter in Southeast CC catcher Elliott Peterson

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas landed its sixth junior college standout and 34th overall addition for the 2025 roster on Sunday in Beatrice (Neb.) Southeast Community College catcher Elliott Peterson, whose .517 batting average led the Division I juco ranks in hitting.

Peterson (6-1, 200), a first-team junior college All-American that also had 13 home runs, 91 RBIs (third nationally), 85 runs and 25 steals in 2024, announced his pledge via social media.

The former Omaha Creighton Prep high school star has dreams of finishing his junior season by playing as a Razorback in the College World Series in his hometown.

“Growing up, I’ve always been an Arkansas fan, and I’ve had the opportunity to see them play at the CWS many times, so it’s always been a dream school of mine,” Peterson said in an interview published by the SECC Sports information office on Monday. Yesterday after spending time on the campus and meeting with the coaches, I knew it was home.”

Peterson, 98 of 176 at the plate last season, showed good plate discipline with 35 walks and 35 strikeouts while maintaining the high batting average along with a .585 on base percentage and an .894 slugging one.

He also had a good defensive campaign last season with a .994 fielding percentage and only two errors while throwing out 19 base runners.

“Honestly, it still blows my mind,” Peterson said of his season. “It was a blast. I was just trying to have the most fun I could, and by the end of the year I looked at my stats, and everything really came together for me as a baseball player.”

Peterson hit .557 as a freshman with 12 homers, 75 RBIs, 71 run scored, 26 walks, 25 strikeouts and was successful in all 21 of his stolen base attempts.

He believes he has developed during his two seasons at Southeast

“It’s a place where you have to go down there and work if you want to move on, and I felt like the coaches really pushed me everyday, and they made me feel like it was home, but they also told me if I want to pursue my dreams, I have to go out there and work. SCC was an amazing spot, the coaches were awesome, but it was the every day grind that really made it fun.

“…Yeah, I took advantage of my situation at SCC, and I feel like, no matter where you are, you just have to take advantage of the situation as best you can. I think the SCC coaches were really good at making sure you have fun with the game, but you respect the game. You have to respect the grind if you’re going to make it.”

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Arkansas is hosting Prescott (Ariz.) Yavapai College first baseman and Canadian-born native Riley Nelson (6-3, 200) today for a visit.

Nelson hit .412 while having 13 home runs, 55 RBIs, 29 walks and just 12 strikeouts in 59 games this past season with 36 of his 70- hit being for extra bases.

He is currently playing summer ball for the Williamsport Crosscutters in the MLB Draft league and hitting .330 through 25 games.

Nelson, who was born in Toronto, played his high school baseball from Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club, Texas.

He began his college career at Western Texas College, where he hit a team-leading .355 as a freshman.

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Arkansas had two players decide to enter the transfer portal last week in junior outfielder Will Edmunson and freshman pitcher Adam Hachman, who redshirted this season due to an ulnar collateral ligament injury. suffered in high school.

Edmunson hit .241 with a homer and 10 RBIs while starting 22 of the 39 games he played in last season for Arkansas.

Hachman, a left handed pitcher from Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland, was viewed as a top 100 pick in t he 2023 Major League Baseball Draft, but withdrew his name.

That duo joins outfielders Jayson Jones (Oklahoma State), Hunter Grimes and Kade Smith as former Razorbacks in entering the portal.

Photo courtesy of Elliott Peterson

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Arkansas transfer portal additions (11):

• Kuhio Aloy, 1B-DH, 6-1, 200, BYU

Michel Anderson, 1B, 6-3, 227, Rhode Island
• Landon Beidelschies, .LHP, 6-3, 225, Ohio State

Carson Boles, OF, 5-11, 190, Lincoln Memorial
• Charles Davalan, OF-2B, 5-10, 180, Florida Gulf Coast University

Carson Hansen, OF, 6-2, 220, Milwaukee

Aiden Jimenez, RHP, 6-3, 216, Oregon State

Maximus Martin, SS-OF, 6-1, 185, Georgia State

Logan Maxwell, OF, 5-10, 175, TCU

Rocco Peppi, OF, 5-11, 200, Fresno State
• Zach Root, LHP, 6-1, 177, East Carolina

Arkansas junior college signees (6):

• Brent Iredale, 3B, 6-2, 220, Hobbs (NM) New Mexico JC

Kolton Reynolds, OF, 6-2, 215, Neosho (Mo.) Crowder CC

Trenton Rowan, INF, 6-2, 200, Liberal (Kan.) Seward County CC

Carson Schrack, IF, 5-9, 170, Coffeyville (Kan.) CC

Justin Thomas, OF, 6-0, 190, Florida Southwestern State (Georgia)

Elliott Peterson, C, 6-1, 200, Beatrice (Neb.) Southeast Community College

Arkansas high school signees (17):

Tag Andrews, RHP, 6-0, 185, Maumelle

Zane Becker C, 6-0, 185, Flower Mound, Texas
• Kel Busby, RHP, 6-2, 200, Pulaski Academy

Brenton Clark, OF, 6-0, 190 Texarkana (Texas) Pleasant Grove

Eli Crecelius, RHP, 6-2, 210, Valley View
• Lance Davis, RHP, 60-4, 205, Valley View

Steele Eaves, RHP, 6-0, 195, Lonoke
• Jackson Farrell, LHP, 6-3, 210, Owasso (Okla.) Jenks

Ross Felder, RHP, 6-3, 190, Springdale Har-Ber

Gabe Fraser, INF, 6-2, 185, Westmister (Calif.) Orange Lutheran

Cole Gibler, LHP, 6-0, 175, Blue Springs, Mo.
• Sam Lee, OF, 5-011, 175, Montgomery, Texas, Lake Creek

Tyson Lewis, INF, 6-2, 195, Yulan (Neb.) Millard West
• Eli Lovich, OF, 6-4, 175, Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley West

Wade Mountz, RHP, 6-7, 230, Morgan Hills (Calif.) Bellarmine College Prep

Carson Wiggins, RHP, 6-5, 210, Roland, Okla.
• Carson Willis, C, 5-11, 195, Rogers P27 Academy